Hola Mi Querida Familia,
This week has been abnormally sunny, hot, and sweaty, we were tricked two weeks ago when it rained everyday and we thought winter was coming. But it really has been a good week, I love being here with Hermana Torres. She is very diligent and passionate about the work and we are going to see miracles in these next couple weeks. She was able to learn the sector super quick and do a great job even when I had to go off to Otavalo for divisions with Hermana Nogales. I am grateful to have Hermana Torres. Conference was also so wonderful. It helped me realize that we always need to be receiving personal revelation. We can receive revelation that confirms the words of our leaders, and also revelation from the scriptures. I loved Richard G Scott´s talk when he was talking about reading the scriptures daily, and he just looked at us all with a stern gaze and said, ”Do it!” It`s what I wish I could tell all our less actives and investigators. It was so cool to hear such a direct order from an apostle of God, which is basically from God, helping me realize that to read the scriptures daily truly is a commandment from Him. Anyway, we had a miracle this week.
On Thursday we were knocking doors and got to know Melena Teràn. She is 17 and accepted the Restoration on the spot. She is super sweet and she told us that she felt like we came for a divine reason… well she was right about that. We challenged her to baptism, and she accepted just like that to be baptized the 25th of October! She even told us she snated to serve a mission. Almost too good. We gave her a Camino de Fe (its a like a goal sheet we use to remind an investigator of their baptism, you mark it as you go to church, read, learn and prayer) and a Book of Mormon, and she was like thankyou so much, I love to read! She even came to conference and brought a friend. We have already introduced her to a couple of the young women who live close to her and we have plans to teach her in the church building this week along with her friend Jefferson. Melena was an answer to a fast and we are praying that she will be able to reach her baptismal date.
On the other hand, we haven`t been able to find Betty Salazar this whole week. We have been calling her, passing by her house every night, and to no avail. She finally answered her phone Sunday morning and told us she was out of town with some friends. Knowing that, we changed her baptismal date to the 18th of October and are praying to be able to find her this week to help her progress. The hard part is she just started up on a new job and there´s no really sure hour when she gets back to her house. It drives me crazy the type of opposition Satan puts in some peoples way.
We also had the privilege to teach Christina Calvachi`s sister, Patricia, who is 20 years old. We were actually passing by to visit Christina but she wasn`t home, so we taught Patty. Patty has actually been to church a couple times before knowing us, she had a friend who invited her but long since has moved away to Quito. Patty wants to learn more and we had a very spiritual lesson with her about the Restoration and the importance of baptism by one who has authority. She accepted baptismal date for the 1st of November. Now we will continue to teach Patty, Christina, and their other sister Gabriela. Its an exciting time for the Calvachi family.
I am so very grateful to be on the Lord`s errand here in Ibarra. Sometimes I get hard on myself because our numbers don`t always display our efforts. But I know that this church is not a church of statistics. Its about changing lives. We can change lives here in the mission, starting with our own. I know that I have changed for the better her on the mission and I am excited to keep progressing and become more Christlike. We learn new things from each companion, each division, and each lesson. I love being a missionary! This morning I took a moment in the end of my personal study to just take off my name badge and look at it. A rush of thoughts came to my mind. I thought of my Mom`s nametag, and of all the future Hermana Powley nametags (from sisters and cousins) I thought of Christ and who I represent and why I am here. It was a great moment. I never want to lose sight of what really matters here in the mission, Jesus Christ. And I guess in life, I never want to lose sight of my Savior.Let us all continually seek revelation through knowing our grand potential in the sight of God and the beautiful gift of the Atonement.
Que todos tengan una linda semana llena de chispas y sonrisas:) Les quiero!
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
